Nissan Qashqai (2007 - 2013) 1.6 dCi 360 (Start Stop) 5d (2013/63) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Mug. I believed the hype. How this car received all the awards and praise I will never understand. I've owned 31 cars and this is one of the worst. It's awful to drive.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They think it's nice, until I tell them about it and let them drive it. Everyone agrees that it's underpowered and the seats are uncomfortable.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Never again. Nissan build-quality isn't that great (well it's 50% Renault anyway). They don't do the extra seats in the Qashqai anymore and it's still being sold with that under-powered 1.6DCi engine.

What are you likely to buy next?

Without the option of the extra seats the Qashqai now places itself in the same league as many other 5-seat SUVs, of which there are many better ones out there. Tiguan, Yeti, Q3, who knows . . .

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£19,700

When did you buy the car?

January 2013

Did you get a good deal and why?

The new Qashqai release was imminent and the dealer needed to get rid of the older shape ones. Got a hefty discount on the list price.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

It seemed a good deal as the new Mk 2 Qashqai was being released so the dealer wanted rid of the Mk 1s.

What was the dealer like?

Very friendly and helpful (well who wouldn't be when the customer is spending almost £20k).

What's it like to drive?

Awful. It's under-powered. The 1.6 DCi engine is woefully slow at low revs, and only becomes slightly better once the turbo kicks in. You really have to rev the nuts off it a low speeds to keep up with the traffic. And forget about going for the gap at junctions and roundabouts - it can really catch you out. Without the turbo, which kicks in at about 1500 revs, it is dangerously slow. I read an article once which said, "The Qashqai is unrewarding to drive". I wish I'd read the article before I bought it, it's so true.

What's it like to park?

Rear visibility is not great, but then it does have 360 degree cameras.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Lots of electrical glitches (auto-sensing wipers, automatic lights, stop-start system, sat-nav.).

What's most practical about your car?

The two extra seats at the back. This is the USP of the Qashqai in my opinion, it's the best feature of the car . . . and the one thing that you can't get in a Qashqai anymore. Now, if you want the extra seats you have to upgrade to a much larger and expensive X-Trail.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The extra seats at the back.